How to Select Gourmet Coffee

QuickGourmet Coffee Guide

What makes gourmet coffee "gourmet coffee?"

It's the choice, select gourmet coffee beans. And it's the roast. And the blend. And the grind. And sometimes the flavoring. And it is certainly the freshness. That last one eliminates most grocery stores' so-called gourmet coffees.

Take a quick tour through coffee creation and if you still feel like ordering "expresso" or Vienna-grown coffee beans, read it again.

The Beans: Arabica vs Robusta

There are basically two types of commercial coffee beans. The first is Robusta (coffea robusta)
from which most everyday and instant coffees are made. They need few
special growing conditions so the focus is on quantity and low cost,
rather than quality.

The other is Arabica (coffea arabica)
coffee beans. Gourmet coffees are made from hand-selected Arabica
coffee beans, which grow only at high altitudes in tropical or
sub-tropical climates. (Yes, they're picky, but it does such nice things
to the coffee beans.) Of these, the choicest, most select gourmet coffee beans are "Certified Organic" beans, grown without chemicals of any sort.

There
are many countries that grow arabica coffee beans, but only three major
growing areas. Each area produces its own range of coffee flavors and
characteristics, although they overlap some.

South and Central America
These coffees have a lively acidity, a crisp, sparkling quality, on the
sweet and spicey side. Gourmet coffees from this region include
Columbian Supremo, Costa Rican Tarrazu, and Guatamala Antigua.

Africa and Arabia
This growing region produces the widest range of flavors, often with
fruit and winey flavors. They tend to be mellow, having a fine balance
of acidity and body, with great aromas. Gourmet coffees from this region
include Kenya AA, Ethiopian Fancy, and Yemen Mocha. Ethiopia is
considered the birthplace of coffee.

Pacific or Island
This region produces rich, full-bodied coffees with very earthy and
nutty qualities, smooth with a dry finish. Gourmet coffees from this
region include Sumatra Mandheling, Jamaican Blue Mountain, and Hawaiian
Kona Coffee.

Coffee Roasts

Roasting the green coffee beans to perfection is vital to any gourmet
coffee. It's what develops the coffee bean's true character. And it's
much more art than science. The process and timing varies from one bean
to the next as moisture content, size, quality, desired darkness, and
even the weather all come into play. Some gourmet coffee beans should
never be dark roasted, for instance, and some, never light.

It takes a master to do it right. That's why coffee houses employ "roast masters."

Some common coffee roasts are:

American Roast or Cinnamon Roast:
A very light roast most common in commercial Robusta coffees of the
"quantity, not quality" kind, but not usually gourmet coffees.

City Roast or Vienna Roast: A semi-light roast, usually the lightest gourmet coffee roast.

Full City Roast:
Some coffee beans need a little darker roast to bring out their full
flavor. This is it. It often produces a subtle caramel flavor.

French Roast:
This is a dark roast. Many prefer this roast (including at least one
major coffee house) for the slightly burnt flavor. A dark roast releases
flavor and the oils in the coffee as well, giving your coffee that
shiny look in the cup.

Italian Roast: This
is a very dark roast, decidedly burnt, with very dark, shiny, brittle
beans. Cappuccino and Espresso are made from dark roast coffee beans.
When someone asks for "espresso coffee beans" or "cappuccino coffee
beans" this is what they mean. (*Note the proper spelling: espresso, rather than expresso coffee beans.)

As you can see, American, Vienna, French and Italian roasts only refer to a degree of roast and have no connection to geography.

The
terms or the degree of roast may vary slightly from one coffee house to
the next. For instance, some add another level of dark roasted coffee,
like Espresso Roast, to the menu. But everywhere, American and
Cinnamon are light roasts, Italian Roast is very dark, and everything in
between is, well, in between. That should make it a little easier to select gourmet coffee, wherever you shop.

Coffee Blends

The darker the roast, the less acidity remains in the coffee. This is just one reason gourmet coffees are sometimes blended with other gourmet coffees.

The
goal, though, is always to create a pleasing combination of tastes,
body, acidity, finish and aroma. Most coffee houses have their own
special signature blends, but it's not easy. It may take 20 tries to get
one worthy of commercial marketing. They work, we benefit.

Flavored Gourmet Coffee:Another
common blending is the infusion of non-coffee flavors into the roasted
coffee beans. Common flavors include chocolate, vanilla, almond,
hazelnut, cinnamon, caramel, even bourbon, rum, amaretto, apple, and
pumpkin spice.

The only question left is what to choose.
Try a gourmet coffee club! At least, taste a variety, decide on your
favorites, and then select gourmet coffee beans to suit.